Foil capping machine



1937. R. N. CUNDALL ET AL 2,101,533

FOIL CAPPING MACHINE Filed April 24, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY 1937. R. N. CUNDALL ET AL 2,101,533

FOIL CAPPING MACHINE Filed April 24, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 AITORNEY 1937. R. N. CUNDALL ET AL 2,101,533

FOIL CAPPING MACHINE Filed April 24, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Gantzer, Kenmore, N.

Y., assignors to Consolidated Packaging Machinery Corporation,

Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April :4, 1935, Serial No. 17,952

3 Claims. (01. 226-85) This invention is an improvement in foil capping machines and is designed with the object of enabling bottlersto apply foil caps to the necks of previously capped or corked bottles, at relatively high speed and inexpensively, as the bottles come from a capping or cork inserting machine. Heretofore the application of foil caps has been limited to a relatively few types of bottled goods primarily because the process of applyin such caps has been slow and expensive. Such foil caps may now be obtained at very slight cost in practically unlimited quantities and there is no reason for such caps not being widely used except that the application thereof limits production and requires a large number, of manual operations. Our invention is designed to apply foil caps to bottles regardless of how. fast they are ejected from the capping or corking machine.

A second object of our invention is to devise a machine, capable of applying foil caps in a smooth, neat manner, employing hydraulic pressure means without necessitating the purchase of separate pumps and motors for driving such pumps, our machine being self-contained and capable of being driven from the line shaft of the capping or'corking machine.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view, mostly in section, of the machine constituting our invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view in section taken along line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view in section taken along line 3-8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken through the foil capping chuck used in our machine and constituting a part of our invention, showing the neck of a bottle therein having a foil cap applied to the bottle but before pressure is applied to the chuck;

Fig. 5 is a partial view of a foil-capped bottle;

Fig. 6 is a partial view in cross-section of a modification of our invention; and

Fig. 7 is a partialview in elevation of details of Fig. 6. Referring to Fig. 1, the machine comprises a standard Ill from which rises 11 fixed non-rotating post II, the top of which may be braced by an arm i2. Above the standard I ii is a supporting bed plate I! fixed to post Ii by locking position concentric to post ii.

the bed plate It and is prevented from rotating with relation to the post II by a bolt II. A

threaded sleeve I8 is engaged with the threaded collar l8, rotation thereof enabling parts of the machine supported by the sleeve l8 to be vertically adjusted with respect to the supporting bed plate 13. A locking bolt l9 maintains sleeve i8 in-adjusted position. Supported by sleeve I8 is a table 28 prevented from rotation by locking bolts 2| threaded into an integral hub. A spacing ring 22 fixed to the end of the hub.prevents sleeve i8 from being displaced from its Supported above table 28 is a sleeve 25 fixed to post I l by keys 28, this sleeve merely serving to increase the eifective diameter of the post in order that larger bearing surface may be provided for parts which rotate around thepost. Surrounding the sleeve 28 is an outer sleeve 21, not keyed to the sleeve in order that it may rotate about the post i I. Integral with sleeve 21 is a. disc 28, the flange of which is formed with gear teeth meshing with the teeth of a pinion 29 fixed on a vertical shaft 28. Rotation of shaft 30 drives the disc 28 and rotates sleeve 21 and a plurality of eccentric devices fixed thereto, in this instance a cam 8!, a second cam 32 and an eccentric 33. For simplicity of illustration sleeve 21, disc 28 and eccentric devices 3l, 32 and 33 are illustrated as an integral member, but it will be appreciated that the parts are machine-finished separately and united after they have been formed either by keys (not shown) or welding, etc. Shaft III is supported by table 28 and extends upward through a table 35 supported by a spacing collar 36 on post ll above sleeve 21 and rotatable thereabout. The collar 36 may be formed integral with sleeve 21 or joined thereto but is preferably caused to rotate with respect to post I i by the following means. A lug 31 extending from one side of the collar carries a pin 38 to which is pivotally attached spaced arms 38 (one of which is shown in Fig. 1) carrying a cam 40 formed as the flange of a member ii. A pocket 42 is i'ormed in member 4|, the lower end of which rests upon disc 28. An opening is provided in the bottom of pocket 42 and a stud 42 extends through the opening and is screwed into disc 28. A spring 44 surrounding stud 48 and adjustably compressed by locking nuts rests upon the bottom of pocket 42. Cam I8 is therefore caused to rotate about post II with the disc 28, and is spaced from disc 28 a minimum distance controlled by the depth of the bottom of pocket 42 but may have a limited upward move- 'ment by pivoting about pin "while compressing spring 44. The flange of disc 28 Is formed into.

a cam 48 concentric with and rotating about post II, the majority of the flange at the side adjacent pin 88 being level, while the opposite part of the cam is shaped to conform with the contour of cam 48, there thus being provided a track upon which a roller 41 may ride. Shaft 38 is rotated by bevel gears 48 driven by a shaft 48 which may be an extension of the power shaft of the capping or bottling machine, or may be a separate shaft driven by any other suitable means such as motor 58, belt 5I and pulley 52.

Roller 41 is mounted upon a member 55 (Fig. 2) carrying two upright rods 55 and 51. Rods 55 and 51 are slidably guided in openings in plate so that roller 41 may rise and fall but will not be allowed to twist sideways or shift laterally in any respect. Integrally supported by member 55 is a cylinder 58 within which is mounted a plunger 58 adapted upon reciprocation thereof to force a certain amount of a contained fluid out of cylinder 58 or upon retraction to suck the fluid back into cylinder 58. A plate 68 is mounted upon the exposed end of plunger 58 and extends upward above the top of cylinder 58 and carries a rod 8i extending over the top of cylinder 58 parallel to plunger 58 and slidably guided in ears 52 and 88 integral with cylinder 58. A spring 84 surrounding rod 5| and compressed between ears 58 anda flange 55 tends to I return plunger 58 against any operative force and will return the plunger when the operative force is released. Adjustable lock nuts 88 mounted upon rod 5| on the opposite side of ear 88 limit the movement of plunger 58.' Operative force is applied to plunger 58 by a rocking lever 18 carrying a roller H, which roller merely eliminates friction between lever 18 and plates 58. Lever 18 is pivoted to table 28 upon an upright stud 12 and is spaced from table 28 by a collar 18. The opposite arm of lever 18 carries a roller 14 which rides upon the surface of cam 82. Cam 32 is so shaped that plunger 58 will be quickly inserted and withdrawn once during each revolution of disc 28. An integral lug 15 carried by lever 18 has a spring 15 attached thereto, the opposite end of which extends to a pin 11 rising from table 28. Spring 15 causes roller 14 continuously to ride upon the surface of cam 52 thereby relieving the burden upon spring 84 which retracts the plunger. The end wall of cylinder 58 below ear 88 is provided with a laterally extending passageway 18 through which fluid escapes and enters the cylinder. The side wall of cylinder 58 is provided with a connecting longitudinally extending passageway 18 extending to the center of member 55, and connected to passageway 18 is an outwardly extending passageway 88 plugged at its outer end by a screw 8I. A vertical pipe 82 is threaded into member 55 and the passage therethrough connects with passageway 88. The opposite end of pipe 82 supports the capping chuck 88 which will be described later.

.From the description thus far it will be apparent that the chuck 83 is vertically reciprocated once during every revolution and is resiliently forced downward at its lowermost position. During the time that it is held at its lowermost position fluid will be forced into chuck 88 and released therefrom. A bottle having a foil cap slipped thereover is positioned and held under and in line with chuck 88 prior to the descent thereof by the following mechanism.

a,1o1,sss-

Eccentric 88 carries an eccentric strap which, at the side adjacent the chuck, is extended and carries a pivot pin 88. A rocking lever 81 is pivoted to 88 and one end thereof is pivoted at' 88 to table 28. The free end of lever 81 carries a pivot pin 88 to which is joined an adjustable link 88. Link 88 is pivoted to a plate 8i freely rotatable about an upright shaft 82 supported by an extension 88 of a table 84 carried by and fixed to supporting bed plate I8. Shaft 82 is rotatable and its upper end is supported in an extension 85 of table 28, which like- Immediately surrounding shaft 82 and fixed thereto is a sleeve 85 rotatable in a bearing in extension 85, the hub of member 8| being rotatable about sleeve 85. Integral with sleeve 86 is a ratchet 81 having a plurality of teeth, as illustrated. four. The opposite end of plate 8| carries a spring-pressed dog 88 cooperating with the teeth of ratchet 81 to rotate shaft 82 partially at every rotation of disc 28, the rotation thereof extending only a quarter of a complete revolution. During the time that chuck 83 descends and plunger 58 is operated lever 81 is rocked back to cause dog 88 to engage with the next tooth of ratchet 81. Mounted between extension 85 and ratchet 81 is a friction plate 88 and a similar friction plate I88 is held against the opposite surface of extension 85 by a disc I8I supported by a spring I82 and a flange I88 on sleeve 85. Adjustment of flange I88 will adjust the pressure with which discs 88 and I 88 are pressed against extension 85, thereby adjustably holding shaft 82 against accidental reversing movement. The lower end of shaft 82 has a starwheel I85 loosely mounted thereon. Starwheel I85 has spaced flanges I88, I81 within which are pockets I88 of sufficient depth to engage a bottle that is placed therein. Mounted above the starwheel I85 is a collar I88 keyed to shaft 82 by a key II8. A spring-pressed pin III carried in collar I88 engages with an opening H2 in flange I85 to cause rotation of the starwheel with shaft 82. The lower end of pin III is bevelled and is formed wise guides pipe 82 in its vertical reciprocation.

with a frangible tip or nipple II8 extending below the bevelled portion. The bevelled portion allows some slight movement of the starwheel I85 in case of a partial jam and forces pin III up against the force of its spring. In case the bottle a being fed by the starwheel should absolutely jam,

the nipple II8 will be broken from pin I II and shaft may rotate without carrying the starwheel with it. In this manner breakage of the operating parts of the machine is prevented. Spaced guide rails H5 and IIS are carried by posts III rising from the table 84. A bottle placed in a pocket adjacent the edge of table 84 by a conveyor II8 of suitable type will be fed into position beneath chuck 83 by the pocket I88 and guide rails H5, H8. After being capped the next movement of starwheel I85. redeposits the bottle back on the conveyor II8. It will be appreciated that any suitable conveyor may be used or that the bottles may be positioned manually.

In order accurately toposition and positively hold the bottle during the time that the chuck is in operation the following mechanism is provided.

A vertical rock shaft I28 is carried by bed plate I8 and table 28 and is free to move longitudinally with respect to bed plate I3. The porsquared and slidably mounted thereon is a member I24 which is rocked in accordance with the movement of roller I23 on cam 3| A collar I25 is also mounted on shaft I20 below member I24 and supports a, member I26 which is free to rotate about the shaft. Pivoted to member I26 at I21 is a curved rod I28. A spring. I29 encircling rod I28 is retained between member I24 and a nut I30. Rocking of member I24 by cam 3I compresses spring I29 which tends to cause member I26 to follow member I24.. An adjustable link I 3i ispivote'd to member I26 and to one end of a lever I32 pivoted at I33 to the supporting bed plate I3. A spring I34 extending from lever I32 to a pin I35 tends to return member I26 against the tension of spring I29. .Members I26 and I 3| form a toggle which, when partially straightened by the rotation of cam 3|, forces lever I32 outward against the tension of spring I34. Pivoted to the joint of link I3I and lever 'I32 at I31 is a member I38 resting uponthe surface of table 34. Fixed to member I38 by bolts I39 is a clamp I40 guided for longitudinal movement between guides I 4| and I42 mounted upon table 94. An abutment I43 mounted upon table 94 limits the releasing movement of the clamp. The surface of clamp I40 adjacent star-wheel I06 is formed with a flange I45 conforming to the contour of a bottle and preferably provided with an inner lining I46 of leather or other friction material. Upon the toggle I28, I3I being straightened, clamp I40 will be forced to grip a bottle held in the starwheel, and upon the roller I 23 riding down on the low points of cam 3| the clamp will be retracted under the tension of spring I34. Link I3I is adjustable to determine the movement of the clamp and likewise the tension of spring I29 is adjustable to provide greater or lesser gripping pressure of the clamp. r r

The timing of this device is such that the clamp is operated and' released during the time that starwheel I05'is stationary and chuck 83 is in operation. The clamp will be released before the next rotative movement of starwheel I05 occurs.

The operation of the machine having been explained with sufllcient clarity, the operation of the chuck will nowbe described.

Pipe 82 is threaded into the chuck 83 which comprises an inverted rigid cup-shaped member. The passageway through pipe 82 communicates with one or more passages I50 extending into the body of the chuck and communicating with the interior thereof. A central boss I5I spaces an internal, resilient cup I52 from the end of chuck 83, cup I52being held in place by a larged headed stud I53, the head of which is preferably covered by resilient material. The rim of chuck 83 is provided with an externally threaded flange I54 and a depending edge I55. The lower edge of cup I52 is formed with a lateral flange I56 and a vertical edge I51. A flanged member I58 having internal threads on the flange thereof is screwed onto the externally threaded flange I54. The member I58 compresses portion I56 against edge I55, and edge I51 will likewise be compressed and expanded to form a sealed joint. The center of member I58 has an opening therethrough of substantially the size of the mouth of the resilient member I52, the opening preferably being bevelled as illustrated. The side walls of member I52 are preferably tapered to conform substantially with the normal taper of a bottle neck. and are spaced from the side walls of chuck 83 to form a cavity I59.

A bottle held in position by the starwheel and the clamp will have its neck enveloped by the descending chuck 83 to an extent determined by the adjustment .of the upper portion of the machine with relation to the standard I0. The relationship of cams 32 and the chuck-supporting and depressing cams 46 and 40 is such that the plunger 59 will be operated as soon as the chuck has descended toits lowermost position. The find being forced into the cavity I69 will apply. uniform pressure simultaneously at all points of the wall of member I52, compressing it against the neck of the bottle held therein.

The'resultthereof is illustrated in Fig. 5. Thepressure is not held to any great length of time due to the sharp contour of cam 32, and'immediately after the retraction of plunger 59 the cup I62 will expand due to its own resilience and the suction of the retracted plunger 69, whereupon the chuck 83 is raised and. the starwheel rotated to eject the bottle and bring the next bottle forward.

In Figs. 6 and 7 we have illustrated a modification of our invention which embodiesthe same principles of operation. In this form of the device a vertical shaft I60 is rotated by suitable means (not shown). Fixed to shaft I 60 is a rotating disc I6I having an edge formed into a vertical cam I62. A collar I63 loosely mounted above the hub of disc I 6i is provided with a projecting lug I64 on which is mounted a pivot pin I65 to which is pivoted arms I66 carrying a member I61 having a pocket I68 therein. The lower surface of. member I61 defines a cam I69, paralleling cam I62. A stud I10 threaded into disc vIIiI and extending through pocket I68 causes member I61 to rotate with the disc. A spring I1I resiliently presses cam I69 downward against a limiting collar I12. A roller I15 is guided upon cam I62 and resiliently pressed downward along the low part of the cam by the upper cam I69. Roller I15 is carried by a. member I16 which is hollowed to form a vertical cylinder. Threaded into the lower end of cylinder I16 is a pipe I11 guided for free vertical movement in a plate I18 loosely mounted on a collar fixed to the vertical shaft I60. Shaft I60 rotates without causing rotation of plate I18. Suitable guides I90 and I9I prevent disalignment of roller I15 about the axis of pipe I 11. Fixed to shaft I60 is a box cam I having a cam track formed in its outer flange. A roller I 8| is guided in the cam track and is carried by a member I82 supporting a, vertical plunger I83, member I 82 being guided by guides I and I9I. An extension of member I16 forms a tank I84 communicating with the top of cylinder I16 and providing a reserve supply of fluid. Plunger I83 is reciprocated once for each revolution of shaft I60 and, as previously explained, causes the compression of the resilient cup I52 positioned in the chuck 83 threaded onto the end of pipe I11. Member 182 carrying roller I8I is slidably guided by spaced guide rods I90 and I9I supported by the plate I", and likewise member i1. is slidably guided by guide rods I" and Ill. Cam I80 is provided with a portion III parallel to cam I62 so that during the time that roller ltl is riding on the portion in plunger ill will move downward at the same rate that cylinder I" is moving so that no movement of fluid will occur. The portion III of cam ill is followed by a sharply inclined portion I occuring above the lowest part of cam II2 so thatas cylinder I18, and the chuck attached thereto, reaches its lowermost position there will be relative movement of plunger I83 andcylinder ilt to create a flow of fluid and compressive'action of the cup I". Plunger I is retracted before the chuck begins to rise in order that the cup I" may expand before relative movement of the chuck and bottle occurs. Fixed to the bottom of disc Iii are cams Ill and "I guiding therebetween a roller ill mounted upon arm I" supported by table Ill and rocking a vertical rock shaft I similar to rock shaft I20 and controlling a bottle clamp, such as clamp ill. A cam Ill fixed to shaft I" guides a roller lill mounted upon a lever 2" operating a starwheel through mechanism such as disclosed in Figs.

1 and 2. It will be appreciated that the essential elements ofv the modification are disclosed with suiiicient particularity to be understood and that the mechanical details of connections between lever 20! and rock shaft I" and the mechanism operated thereby are relatively immaterial to the disclosure of the modified construction.

In Figs. 4 and 5 we have illustrated a bottle neck "5, the bottle being closed by a conventional crown cap 2". In Fig. 4 the ordinary type of foil cap 201 is illustrated before the same has been compressed by the chuck, while in Fig. 5 the foil cap is shown as applied, illustrating the manner in which the flexible compressing cup forces the foil to conform to the contour of the bottle neck. Our device is therefore useful regardless of the type of bottle, since the chuck does not need to be adjusted or changed to cap any ordinary type of bottle.

By "foil cap is meant a partially formed semirigid cup-shaped article, the thickness and rigidity of which may vary to a great extent. The ordinary type of foil cap is a thin substantially non-rigid article, the sole purpose of which is to provide a neat and attractive bottle. Special types of caps are formed of thicker material and are of a much greater degree of rigidity in orderthat they might be forced by a substantial compressive action to assume the contour of the bottle neck to which they are applied, but will not ordinarily lose the shape into which they are formed. Such a rigid cap is useful inasmuch as the lower portion thereof may be connected to be limited to the mechanical details of these two form's, since alterations in arrangement and details thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art and our invention is to be determined sole- -ly by the scope of the following claims which'are to be broadly construed.

We claim:

1. A machine for applying foil caps to the necks of containers comprising, a resilient, fluid-pressure operated, cup-shaped member adapted to envelop the neck of the container, means to lower said member over the neck of a container positioned therebeneath and to elevate said member, a pump associated therewith, means to operate said pump to ap ly uniform pressure to the external surface of said member when lowered and to release the pressure before said member is elevated, said member and said pump being rigidly connected to move as a unit. I

2. A machine for applying foil caps to the necks of containers comprising, a resilient, fluid-pressure operated, cup-shaped member adapted to envelop the neck of the container, means to lower said member over the neck of a container positioned therebeneath and to elevate said membe a pump associated therewith, means to operate said pump to apply uniform pressure to the external surface of said member when lowered and to release the pressure before said member is elevated, said member and said pump being rigidly connected to move as a unit, all of the foregoing means comprising a plurality of associated eccentric devices operating as a unit.

3. A machine for applying foil caps to the necks of containers comprising, a chuck having a rigid outer wall and a resilient cup shaped member therein adapted to envelop the neck of a container, means to move said chuck to and from an operative position relative to the neck of a container, a pump rigidly connected to and movable as a unit with said chuck, and means to operate said pump to force a fluid between the adjacent walls of said chuck and said member to apply uniform pressure to the external surface of said member when the chuck is in operative position, and to release the pressure before said chuck is moved from operative position.

ROBERT N. CUNDALL. HOWARD E. GAN'I'ZER. 

